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Business & Education Together Foundation

Purpose: To develop collaborative programs and projects that partner the business and education communities to enhance student learning and create responsible educational reform that will produce a more work-ready population.

Board members:

Florence Block, Morris County Chamber of Commerce
Vincent Egan, Wachovia Securities LLC
Neale Godfrey, Children’s Financial Network
Lynn Lagomarsino, J.H. Cohn, LLP
Arlene Lester, State Farm Insurance
Elizabeth Mattson, State of New Jersey
Dina O’Keefe, Morris County Chamber of Commerce
George Sous, PSE&G
Douglas Todd, Net Worth Management Group
Dr. Edward Yaw, County College of Morris

Highlights and Activities:

The Business and Education Together Foundation hosts an Annual Competition for high school students at State Farm Headquarters in Parsippany, NJ.  Seventy students with various educational backgrounds are selected from schools within Morris County to learn about business.  This year the Morris County Chamber of Commerce was given nearly $20,000.00 in Grants and Scholarships supporting the program.  The program format is based on the “Apprentice” model where the teams create a business based on best practices and coaching by business executives, and compete before a panel of judges.  This is one of several opportunities to introduce business into the high schools.

The formation of the foundation is in direct response to the business communities voice and view that the emerging work force, though seasoned in academics and technology presents an opportunity to instill business practices and acumen to round out the talent pool.